Don’t Hit Us, LRA Pleads
JOSEPH Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) field commander ‘Col.’ Charles Tabuley has pleaded with the UPDF not to attack his forces.
By Dennis Ojwee
JOSEPH Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) field commander ‘Col.’ Charles Tabuley has pleaded with the UPDF not to attack his forces.
The request was reportedly contained in a letter to the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Lt. Santo Okot-Lapolo, on Monday evening, Tabuley is the main Kony contact trying to link the LRA to the Government to negotiate a ceasefire.
Okot-Lapolo said Tabuley dropped the letter in Dure, Pader district as the rebels moved to places President Yoweri Museveni has asked them to move to before talks can begin.
“Tabuley wrote a letter, dropped copies in Dure, Acholibur sub-county, Aruu county, Pader district yesterday (Monday) evening, asking the UPDF not to attack their groups who are in transit trying to relocate themselves.
“I also got a copy here with me. The letter bears Tabuley’s name, is stamped but was not signed. So, we are still carefully scrutinising the letter and trying to monitor their (LRA) movements to those places they claim they are going to. If they move without causing any destruction to the civil community and so long as they notify the UPDF of their movements, nothing will happen to them,†the RDC said.
Okot-Lapolo, who is also the chairman of Kitgum district security committee, said, “Tabuley said they were still collecting people (fighters) from various places wherever they were scattered to one common place.â€
The commander of the UPDF 503rd Brigade in Kitgum, Lt. Col. Sam Kiwanuka, yesterday said he had not got a copy of the letter, but had got a message about it from the UPDF intelligence.
“I learnt that yesterday (Monday) at about 7:30pm, Kony rebels crossed the Kitgum-Lira Road in Dure in Acholibur sub-county towards Acholibur trading centre,†he said.
He said the rebels slept around Acholibur (south of Dure). Civilians there said the rebels looted foodstuffs and abducted people.
“It is a big shame that the rebels are continuing to abduct and loot food from civilians,†Kiwanuka said.
“If they are moving, they should not cause any destruction, loot or abduct people. We shall wait for the five-day transition grace period given to them by the President on March 9,†he added.
Ends
JOSEPH Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) field commander ‘Col.’ Charles Tabuley has pleaded with the UPDF not to attack his forces.
The request was reportedly contained in a letter to the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Lt. Santo Okot-Lapolo, on Monday evening, Tabuley is the main Kony contact trying to link the LRA to the Government to negotiate a ceasefire.
Okot-Lapolo said Tabuley dropped the letter in Dure, Pader district as the rebels moved to places President Yoweri Museveni has asked them to move to before talks can begin.
“Tabuley wrote a letter, dropped copies in Dure, Acholibur sub-county, Aruu county, Pader district yesterday (Monday) evening, asking the UPDF not to attack their groups who are in transit trying to relocate themselves.
“I also got a copy here with me. The letter bears Tabuley’s name, is stamped but was not signed. So, we are still carefully scrutinising the letter and trying to monitor their (LRA) movements to those places they claim they are going to. If they move without causing any destruction to the civil community and so long as they notify the UPDF of their movements, nothing will happen to them,†the RDC said.
Okot-Lapolo, who is also the chairman of Kitgum district security committee, said, “Tabuley said they were still collecting people (fighters) from various places wherever they were scattered to one common place.â€
The commander of the UPDF 503rd Brigade in Kitgum, Lt. Col. Sam Kiwanuka, yesterday said he had not got a copy of the letter, but had got a message about it from the UPDF intelligence.
“I learnt that yesterday (Monday) at about 7:30pm, Kony rebels crossed the Kitgum-Lira Road in Dure in Acholibur sub-county towards Acholibur trading centre,†he said.
He said the rebels slept around Acholibur (south of Dure). Civilians there said the rebels looted foodstuffs and abducted people.
“It is a big shame that the rebels are continuing to abduct and loot food from civilians,†Kiwanuka said.
“If they are moving, they should not cause any destruction, loot or abduct people. We shall wait for the five-day transition grace period given to them by the President on March 9,†he added.
Ends